Photoluminescence and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry study of ion-implanted Er3+-doped LiNbO3 planar waveguides

In this work we present a study of Er3+-doped LiNbO3 ion-implanted planar waveguides by laser spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). RBS measurements for both random and channelling conditions were carried out in order to investigate the crystal quality of the original crystals and their respective waveguides. The angular dependences of the Nb and Er yields were compared and a non-substitutional fraction of Er3+ ions was found in both the bulk crystal and the waveguide. Some deterioration of the crystal quality in the waveguide compared to that in the bulk was also detected. Laser spectroscopy was used to obtain information about the optical properties of the Er3+ ions within the waveguides and to compare them with the properties of the Er3+ ions in the bulk. The results obtained show that the spectroscopic properties of the waveguide Er3+ ions are essentially the same as those of the Er3+ ions in the bulk, except a slight broadening of the bands and some changes in the relative intensities. (author)